Best Gardens to Visit in the North East

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There’s no denying the pull of a beautifully curated garden or well-stocked nursery – discover the best nurseries and most beautiful gardens to visit around the North East, whatever the weather

ALNWICK GARDEN

A true jewel of the North East, The Alnwick Garden was first laid down by celebrated gardener Capability Brown, but fell into disrepair. Thankfully, in 1997, the Duchess of Northumberland came up with a hugely ambitious plan to rejuvenate the garden, intending to create ‘a huge public garden of classic symmetry and astonishing beauty…’ and we think it’s safe to say she succeeded. Now a year-round delight, Alnwick Garden offers a plethora of sights and activities whatever the weather. Adults and children alike can enjoy the delightfully macabre tours of the Poison Garden, where the guides regale you with deadly stories of plants such as belladonna, hemlock, and even plants you might find in your own garden – you’ll never look at a foxglove the same way again. If you need a sit down after taking in the sights all day, head to the cosy Treehouse Restaurant for a dining experience you won’t forget – twinkling lights, wooden walkways and roaring fires make it a spectacular setting for a delicious meal made with locally sourced ingredients. With its majestic water cascades, individual gardens and beautifully sculpted foliage, The Alnwick Garden is now one of the key attractions in Northumberland.Don’t miss: The Blossom Watch. With spring comes blossom, and Alnwick Garden’s cherry orchard is a glorious riot of colour. If you can’t make it along to the garden, they’ll be live-streaming it from their website, so you can revel in spring from your desk at work.

Bradley Gardens has come a long way since its beginnings as a walled kitchen garden producing fruit and vegetables year-round for Bradley Hall. It was bought in 2013 by current owners Mark Robinson and Darren Crichton-Jones and it’s since become unrecognisable, with the striking Victorian glasshouse being transformed into a bustling teahouse, and with a gift shop and ladies’ accessories store to boot. Their carefully planted garden changes with the seasons so there’s always something new to see, and the knowledgeable staff in the garden store can help with seasonal perennials, shrubs. bulbs and fruit trees.Don’t miss: The Bridgewater Home-store, where you’ll find exquisite, hand-crafted furniture and home accessories, as well as top-quality products and gifts.

A relic from the early 1800s, Chillingham Castle Gardens remain some of the most original in the UK, holding the record for the longest herbaceous border in the North. If you’re very quiet and lucky, you may catch a glimpse of some of the abundant wildlife which calls Chillingham its home, including red squirrels, foxes, and deer. Beyond the idyllic grounds, you can enjoy panoramic views and the scenic grandeur of the Cheviots. Don’t miss: The lakes. The tranquil lakes are fed by seven springs and five streams, providing a home for the surrounding willow, birch and alder trees.

Opened in 2006, Howick Hall Arboretum is still a relatively young project, but it still boasts over 11,000 trees and shrubs collected from seed in the wild from all over the world. It’s split into an east and a west section, both with suggested routes and walks for different abilities, so everyone can enjoy what’s on offer. As it’s still new, it will be very exciting to watch the gardens diversify and become home to lots of new species and wildlife – as it stands, it’s one of the last outposts in the UK to see the elusive red squirrel. Don’t miss: The Snowdrop Festival. Once the gardens reopen in February, be sure to visit for a wonderland walk through the snowdrops.

While some parts of the gardens were added recently, others have stood the test of time for centuries, but each part has its own unique personality and history. The Moat Pool area is steeped in history, as the surrounding area formed part of the northern defences in medieval times, and the Georgian Walled Garden played host to William and Dorothy Wordsworth and John Ruskin, who would have no doubt admired the riotous colours of roses, tree lupins, and poppies.Don’t miss: The Secret Walled Garden. Admittedly, not the best-kept secret in the North East, but you don’t want to miss the former vegetable garden turned traditional English rose garden – you can still see the majestic pear trees, which were originally planted in the hope they’d ward off evil spirits.

Nestled in the Borders, Floors Castle is Scotland’s largest inhabited castle, whose gardens provide an almost endless source of delight. Floors boasts an impressive mix of old and new, with the Walled Garden dating back to the 1850s while the Millennium Garden, with French-style parterre, was designed to commemorate the new millennium. Take in the breathtaking frenzy of colours of the herbaceous borders, take a stroll through the glasshouses bursting with ripe fruit, and visit the summerhouse where Queen Victoria herself walked in 1867.Don’t miss: The Star Plantation. After a disastrous storm in the 90s, the Star Plantation underwent a major transformation, overflowing with ornamental trees, flowering shrubs, evergreens, snowdrops and rhododendrons, centred around a wrought-iron seat – the perfect place for a picnic.

While they’re currently closed for winter, Birkheads will be back come February or March with their glorious Snow Drop Weekend. Each section of the garden has a different theme and different soil conditions, so you won’t lack for inspiration whatever your own garden may look like, as here they are firm believers in finding the best plant for the site instead of attempting to alter the environment. Don’t miss: The birds and the bees. Birkheads is a haven for bird-watchers, with over 43 species spotted so far, as well as an abundance of bees, butterflies and moths during the summer months – a must for wildlife lovers.

This charming plant nursery is located by the seaside at Blyth, and carries an impressive and eclectic range of garden plants, all of which are hardy varieties, grown to withstand the coastal weather. As well as hardy perennials and shrubs, you’ll also find a vast range of alpines, grasses and wildflowers to brighten up your garden. Don’t miss: The planting services – not only in baskets and pots. Perennial Favourites enjoy the challenge of planting in more unusual objects, so why not add some interest to your garden with a teapot planter?

LONGFRAMLINGTON GARDENS Longframlington, Morpeth, Northumberland
NE65 8BE
01665 570382www.longframlingtongardens.co.uk
A horticultural gem nestled in the Northumbrian countryside, Longframlington Gardens make an ideal day out whether you’re looking for a great garden to visit, somewhere to buy your own plants, or just a place to sit and enjoy a coffee. With over 12 acres of wild meadows, walks, ponds and art, there are plenty of opportunities to appreciate the wealth of flowers, foliage, textures, fragrances and colours on offer here.Don’t miss: The Living Exhibition of Plants. Sure to give you some inspiration for your own garden, this huge collection of hardy ornamental trees, perennials, shrubs, climbers, herbs, and rock garden plants show you how to create a garden with year-round interest.

GIBSIDENear Rowlands Gill, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear NE16 6BG
01207 541820
When you see the beauty of the walled garden at Gibside, it’s difficult to imagine that during the ‘90s it was a mere scrub of land used as an overflow car park and home to four goats. Since being bought by the National Trust, it brims with vegetable plots, lush grasses, and vivid flowerbeds. The rejuvenation of the garden also led to the introduction of more wildlife, including bats and an elusive gold-crested newt. Don’t miss: The Avenue – in fact, you can’t miss it, as it’s one of the most striking features of the estate. The half-mile long sweeping grassland between the Chapel and the Column is lined on either side by towering trees, lending it a sense of grandeur.

SUNDERLAND MUSEUM AND WINTER GARDENBurdon Road, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear SR1 1PP
0191 561 2323
Home to over 2,000 of the world’s most unusual and exotic flowers and trees, Sunderland’s Museum and Winter Garden is the perfect place for a day out. Even on a rainy day you can explore this urban jungle– sheltered by the stunning glass rotunda, it’s like a tropical paradise, with lush foliage and the sound of rushing water. Those of you with a head for heights can brave the treetop walk, where you’ll be afforded a bird’s eye view of the Winter Gardens, as well as neighbouring Mowbray Park.Don’t miss: The koi pond. Sit by the pool and allow yourself to be hypnotised by the colourful fish flitting beneath the surface.

CROOK HALL AND GARDENSCrook Hall & Gardens, Frankland Lane, Durham DH1 5SZ
0191 384 8028www.crookhallgardens.co.uk
While some parts of the gardens were added recently, others have stood the test of time for centuries, but each part has its own unique personality and history. The Moat Pool area is steeped in history, as the surrounding area formed part of the northern defences in medieval times, and the Georgian Walled Garden played host to William and Dorothy Wordsworth and John Ruskin, who would have no doubt admired the riotous colours of roses, tree lupins, and poppies.Don’t miss: The Secret Walled Garden. Admittedly, not the best-kept secret in the North East, but you don’t want to miss the former vegetable garden turned traditional English rose garden – you can still see the majestic pear trees, which were originally planted in the hope they’d ward off evil spirits.

THE GARDEN STATIONLangley-on-Tyne, Hexham, Northumberland NE47 5LA
01434 684391www.thegardenstation.co.uk
This quirky little garden is unlike any others you’ve seen – originally a country railway station running through Langley Woods, it was transformed into a charming garden, framed by Victorian stonework and sheltered by the surrounding woodlands. The woodland walk takes you through riotous borders of primula, erythronium, hosta, hellebore, arum italicum pictum, tiarella, heuchera, euphorbia, foxgloves – a flower lover’s dream.Don’t miss: The sculptures. The Garden Station is home to many unique sculptures – see how many you can spot on your walk around the gardens and woodland.

BELSAY HALL, CASTLE AND GARDENS Belsay, Morpeth, Northumberland NE20 0DU
01661 881636
With over 40 acres of Grade I-listed gardens, it’s be easy to get lost in the grounds of Belsay Hall, but don’t worry – there’s plenty for you to see while the search team gets underway. Every season brings something new to Belsay, as the gardens have been designed to provide year-round interest. Marvel at the carpet of daffodils in the spring, visit the stunning rhododendron garden in the summer, revel in the glorious autumn colours, and admire a splash of colour in the winter from Christmas box and winter-flowering iris. Don’t miss: The Quarry Garden. This is basically a little slice of tropical paradise in the North East, as the Quarry Garden has its very own micro-climate which allows many exotic plants to thrive here.

DILSTON PHYSIC GARDEN, CORBRIDGEDilston Physic Garden, Corbridge, Northumberland NE45 5QZ
07879 533875www.dilstonphysicgarden.com
Although closed until February, Dilston Physic Garden is one to note down in your calendar to remember to pay them a visit when the first hint of spring is in the air. The garden seamlessly blends centuries’ old remedies with modern science of how specific plants are used as medicine today. With over 800 medicinal plants to discover, you can wander the winding pathways for hours on end, enjoying the naturally soothing effect of the uniquely designed garden. Don’t miss: The Bamboo Walk. A multi-sensory experience, you’ll be mesmerised as you walk through a kaleidoscope of colour, from purples and greens to silver and gold, all the while listening to the gentle susurration of the rustling leaves and the nearby stream gurgling over the rocky bed.

BIDE-A-WEE COTTAGE GARDENSStanton, nearr Netherwitton, Northumberland NE65 8PR
01670 772238www.bideawee.co.uk
A true hidden treasure tucked away in the Northumbrian countryside, Bide-A-Wee Cottage Gardens started life as a bare, exposed quarry, but has since been transformed into a peaceful oasis. They are proud holders of the National Collection of Centaureas, meaning they are entrusted with the development and preservation of Centaureas for the future – they currently have over 90 species in their unique collection, and most of them can be bought in their on-site nursery.Don’t miss: The wildflower meadow. Who doesn’t love the idea of the amazing sight and scent of a wildflower meadow in early summer?

WYNYARD HALL GARDENSWynyard Hall, Tees Valley TS22 5NF
01740 644811www.wynyardhall.co.uk
With vivid flowerbeds, meandering paths, and graceful water features, the gardens at Wynyard Hall are the ultimate destination for lovers of classic gardens. Designed by an expert team of landscape architects and gardeners, they provide an unexpected oasis of calm amid the hustle and bustle of modern-day life. Their Walled Garden showcases a stunning collection of over 3,000 roses, carefully selected shrubs and trees, and elegant water features and meandering pathways. Head to the Glasshouse for a spot of shopping, where you’ll find exquisite homeware, garden accessories and gifts, as well as masterclasses and workshops which are run regularly throughout the year. Don’t miss: The Edible Garden. Here you can gain inspiration for your own kitchen garden or simply see how Wynyard Hall grow their own fresh produce, and in the summer this area is a haven for bees and butterflies.

DURHAM UNIVERSITY BOTANIC GARDENBotanic Garden, South Road, Durham DH1 3TN
0191 334 2887www.dur.ac.uk/botanic.garden
Well worth the hike up South Road, Durham University’s Botanic Garden boasts 10 hectares of stunning natural landscape for all the family to discover. Open throughout the year, the garden is home not only to wonderful displays of flowers and shrubs, but also rarely sighted birds such as goldcrests, and there is a herd of rare-breed sheep which act as lawnmowers during spring to make way for wildflowers in the summer.Don’t miss: The bluebell wood. Okay so it’s technically just outside the Botanic Garden itself, but the sight of it is so spectacular that the slight detour will be forgotten.

HALLS OF HEDDON NURSERY CENTREWest Heddon Nursery Centre, Heddon on the Wall, Northumberland NE15 0JS
01661 852445www.hallsofheddon.com
With two nurseries, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for here – the Heddon nursery stocks the essentials such as fertiliser, compost, alongside specialist plants, as well as an extensive range of ornamental pots and garden statues. Over at their Ovington Nursery, with its gorgeous views over the Tyne Valley, they specialise in plants for herbaceous borders, along with a range of shrubs and alpines.Don’t miss: The Heddon site, which is a sight to behold between late August and the first frosts of the year, with over 10,000 dahlias and chrysanthemums on display.